Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
afterwards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
beauty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
buried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
cared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
charmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
daughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
died
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
frightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
grave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
husband
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
King
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
lord
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
loves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
oath
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
promise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
use
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
vownounUS /vaʊ/
a serious promise
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “If he loves me with all his heart,” said she, “of what use will life be to him afterwards?”
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first.
wooers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.
